The Vital Touch Interview with Yoga enthusiast Liz Wanless!

Dear Friends, I am excited to share with you my interview with yoga enthusiast Liz Wanless who has just moved to Barcelona…find out below about her story, what she thinks of Bcn and what yoga means to her. She is an inspirering & beautiful woman…enjoy!

1)Liz, tell me about who you are, where you are from & what you do?

-I am a Canadian living in Barcelona since November. In Canada, I was an event planner and yoga teacher and a mom. Here in Barcelona, I am trying to learn Spanish and offer private yoga lessons to individuals or groups, and blogging about our adventures here. Meanwhile, my kids are still in Canada at university reading my blog.

2)You’ve recently arrived to Barcelona, what was your first impression?

-Vibrant and full of life. That was my first impression. Plus I cannot get enough of the Mediterranean blue skies and sunshine, even when the temperatures are cooler, the weather is always gorgeous to me. Oh, and the abundance beautiful architecture. I’m still getting to know Guadi and Picasso and have fallen in love with them both.

3)Your have a passion for yoga & you are a teacher in Ashtanga yoga, how did this interest start, how has it affected your life, how does it make you feel?

-I stumbled onto yoga over 15 years ago. While I was waiting for my son to finish his karate class and my daughter her tap dance class, there happen to be a free Ashtanga yoga class at the community centre that I dropped in to try. I loved it. It was my oasis in a busy life. It was for only once per week then because that’s all the time I had. Now I practice 6 days a week and it is still my oasis.

4)What would be your advice to someone starting out to do yoga?

-Be realistic with your commitment. Find a place to go to and timing that works with your lifestyle. I have seen many people make big resolutions to go from zero to one hundred; thinking they should go this many times per week. Then they stop completely because it was too much or their body was too achy rather than better. The reality is you will benefit a continued commitment at a sustainable pace.

5) You are also vegan, have weekly massages & lead a very health conscious life, why?

-I have been so fortunate to meet many inspiring role models who thrived on a plant based diet. We were a meat eating family for a long time and one day, my daughter who was fourteen years old at the time decided she would no longer eat animal based foods. Suddenly, I had to learn how to prepare healthy vegan meals for her. We were amazed by how good the food could be and how wonderful we felt. My husband became vegetarian and soon after I was vegan. It is a compliment to a daily yoga practice because everything is digested much faster which allows for easier twists and lifts. We are thrilled to find how easy it is to be vegetarian or vegan in Barcelona. The restaurant options are even better than in Canada!
As for regular massages, I used to think that it was an indulgence until someone asked me me how often I get my car tuned up. Do I wait for it to break down before having the oil changed?That shifted my thinking completely. Why should we treat our cars better than our bodies? Regular massages are the much needed tune ups for our bodies to avoid injuries and pain. Plus massages with Nunu are simple a little bit of heaven.

6) What has been the most powerful moment in your life, which changed your life?

– Having children. I think all mothers of the world are Wonder Women. There is no greater power and strength than that of a mother protecting her child. Look at the animal kingdom too! We’re the same fierce protectors.